Weather Update:

Okay, so it’s not actually a weather update so much as a Sloth update. But weather just sounds more fun, plus it reminds me of Bill Wurtz’s History of the Entire World I Guess.

Some news about me:

• I finished knitting one sock and started another vs finishing the second sock

• I realized my pen pals are having a BABY and therefore need to speed knit a baby blanket to send to them

• This is the second time I am speed knitting a baby blanket

• After the first time, I said never again…

• I had another virtual D&D session and it went BEAUTIFULLY—more on that soon, I promise

• I woke up in a fugue state this morning and crafted a loosely based off of Monster of the Week and Dungeons and Daddies “Monsters and Mommies” game after talking to one of my players who also loves D-A-D and came up with some beautiful Mom Archetypes and plot lines that will become a side one shot for the party

• (me, telling my collaborateur about my creative method: “they come to me in my dreams like a prophet receiving visions from an angry god“)

• I will be posting the full fun module(s) when I finish creating it, depending on when that is

• Work on the other modules (two sessions and a campaign bible) is mostly finished, now I just have to collect it together and find a place to post and/or list it.

• I’m thinking maybe Etsy?? Another service???

• Much to think on—if anyone has suggestions let me know

In unrelated fun news, here’s what I’m reading:

• Finished! - Range - David Epstein (why generalists succeed where specialists fail)

• In Progress - The Monster of the Week manual, for research purposes

• In Progress - Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need - Blake Snyder

• Just Started - Because Internet - Gretchen McCulloch (Linguistics book on the internet)

• On Deck: Patton: A Genius for War and the Silent Patient (and about 50 more books….)

Other than that, it’s been a fairly productive week for me! I’m almost nearly done with one of my courses from a previous post and getting a lot of stuff on paper, which is always helpful for me. Should have a better post next week as this weekend is a three day weekend!

Toodles,

Steph <3

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Nothing special to add today, more just a follow up of my post last week.

Virtual D&D night was a huge success! While I, and my group, much prefer getting together in person (and it’s far easier to control the flow in person), this is a great option since we can’t do that. It’s also giving me the opportunity to use some of what I’m learning in the online classes I’m taking to help shore up our online system and workflow. My goal is to really streamline the process and make sure feedback and metrics are gathered. I’m hoping to get one, maybe two, additional posts about codifying and improving this process so keep an eye out for those when I finish writing them.

And for those wondering:

Online Classes I am taking during this time:

• The Science of Well-Being, through Yale via Coursea

• Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics, through Leiden University via Coursea

• Teaching Online Classes via General Assembly

I know it’s not much but it’s helpful to keep things interesting when I could be just sitting here spending the majority of my time rewatching Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the 5th time (and trust me, if it wouldn’t rot my brain I would). Plus I’ve always wanted to learn more about Linguistics, as its the basis for so many things including programming languages. Initially I was just going to dive in and buy Syntactic Structures from a local bookstore but then I thought hey, why not learn from some educators first? I’ve got the time.

I’ve also started gathering all of my pictures and notes on virtual map making, so I expect to have that post up by the end of the week, quarantine schedule willing. I did just get enough yarn to make a sweater and I’m nearly done with a cowl so we’ll see which of the three wins this duel for my attention.

In the meantime, did you know that there’s a man out there who’s just doing things in a primitive fashion in the woods of his backyard and filming it? Easily the most soothing videos on youtube tbh.

That said, I will stick to my classical and film scores playlist to get my relaxation on.

ttyl y’all.

<3,

Steph

Long time no talk, yes?

Howdy and salutations—

I’m not going to apologize because at this point regular content is somewhat of a pipe dream. I could shorten things and try and turn this into a more bite sized experience but honestly that seems like more work than it probably is. After what feels like knitting a quadrillion beer mittens, continually hosting D&D games and now moving all of my material virtual, I feel like I’ve been way too busy for what is now a super slow period of time. Also RE3 came out but I finished that so fast that honestly, it’s time to get back into this.

Some general updates and things to come:

• Posting another blog segment on map making, virtual focused (and specifically directed at those of us who prefer physical maps and translating that to digital services)

• Posting another blog segment about music during your games—what I’ve found that works and what doesn’t

• Posting another blog segment about running your sessions — what to actually care about and what not to

• Posting YET ANOTHER blog segment about getting friends to join; i.e what does a successful pitch look like for those who are unaware of what D&D even is

• A separate post detailing my first (mainly shelved) novel I wrote and it’s new, much trendier and cool brother that I’m in the process of planning

• Posting about my knitting projects thus far this year — there’s actually a lot, it may end up being mostly pictures lol

I’ve also been thinking about selling my maps and other campaign materials (none of it is really affiliated with any WotC stuff but I’ll check before I upload) as it’s entirely home-brew and some folks enjoy that. Who knows. I don’t have a major following anywhere so yolo right?

Other than that, I’ve been a busy bee this quarantine (not sick and no one I know is sick but still, better to be safe than sorry and also to help those who must be safe) between baking bread, knitting, catching up on TV and podcasts, etc. (Minor achievement: I listened to over 200 episodes of My Brother My Brother and Me last year while still clocking over 85k minutes of music on Spotify)

Some things I’ve been enjoying this year (and in last year but extra enjoying now that I have endless time to myself) have been:

• Happy City by Charles Montgomery

  • Can urban design really make people happier? Can one really learn things along the way that lead to generally happier people? Signs point to yes!

• Dungeons & Daddies (not a BDSM podcast)

  • I thought the Adventure Zone was peak comedy but holy cow, these dads have got it in spades. Plus Anthony is an amazing DM. The first episode alone gets almost everyone hooked

• Relearning how to use my Apple Pencil

  • I will probably post some pictures at some point once I make something worth showing

• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, read by Scott Brick

  • I’ve downloaded Libby this year and I’m trying to get through more books on my list via audio books. So far, loving it!! Scott does a great job bringing the people and setting to life.

• Études no.2, Phillip Glass, Reworked for Orchestra by Christian Badzura

  • I don’t normally listen past the morning show on WQXR but the one time I did, I pulled out an absolute gem, Mr. Badzura really changed this piece into something spectacular, beautifully played by Siggi String Quartet with Víkingur Ólafsson

• Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

  • Worth every penny. The second people get the hang of this game, it gets buck wild and everyone can enjoy it, young and old, sober or drunk.

Anyway, that’s all I have for now. I will hope to get the next blog post up after this weekend as I have D&D tonight (VIRTUAL!) and then nothing scheduled for the indeterminate future. Maybe I’ll replay Ocarina of Time.

Toodles.

<3,

Steph

What a whirlwind!

As I looked back at my last post, I realized I really have been busy.

Besides switching jobs, working two jobs in tandem while I transitioned, moving floors of the office, setting myself a crazy knitting goal and working towards, AND heading out to the burbs for D&D after the holiday, it’s been a real trip.

Hopefully now that things have settled down, I can elaborate a bit more on my coming research projects as part of my new job in the future, show some more work re:D&D and hopefully post some finished knitting projects.

To give a little sneak preview of my next big thing at work, I’m starting a more longterm research project (obviously with tactical, impactful goals, this is a corporation after all) about SaaS sprawl! I’m excited to get started and I’ve already got some great ideas in the hopper, specifically around using existing research into urban planning and urban sprawl to formulate a model for assign SaaS sprawl. It’s a nerdy, delicious sort of project I can sink my teeth into and I’m just jazzed to dive in.

Hopefully you’ll hear from me again soon!

<3,

Steph

Small Break (KitKat Edition)

Does anyone even like these jokes? Probably not. Oh well, more for me.

Anyway, no Making-Of post this week—I actually have to work on some D&D maps, some puzzles, my horrendous outstanding reading list and a few knitting projects.

Oh, and Iʼm going to be out of the state for a work conference and a quick visit to my little brother this week. That happening too.

Otherwise, in terms of what Iʼve been up to has been sketching, reading, working on some giant, really cool projects for work and thinking about switching jobs. Itʼs that kind of month.

Often, the idea of fall is that itʼs a time of change and more commonly a time for death. Which it is easy to see how that association starts, Halloween, decaying flora and fauna, the color palette of the world even changes to what youʼd expect from a Fincher film. Gray and dismal punctuated with pops of bright, saturated reds, very much like a corpse with fresh blood.

I tend to take different view of it. Death should always be thought of, but never in a morbid way. It is simply the other half of life, and I think thatʼs what unsettles people about fall. We donʼt want to think about our ends, but itʼs an important reminder to have. We should want to always remember that if weʼre not on the right path, we need to get off it and find one we care about, and that we can do it if we really try. Iʼm reminded of the Steve Jobs quote on that score:

“It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

Fall is a time for contemplation of the inevitable and change for the better. Letʼs hope we all find the courage to make the changes we truly need and want.

<3,

Steph

Currently Reading

• The Design of Everyday Things — Don Norman (done!)

• Cult of the Dead Cow: How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World — Joseph Menn (in progress!)

• The Haunting of Hill House — Shirley Jackson (on deck!)

And We Are Back!

It's been a few months, whirlwind for me, dull for any reader, but the short of it is that I'm back and I have not only a new look but new content to match.

What's happened to me since the old design?

• I went on a trip to Germany!
• I wrote a novel!
• I moved out of my condo, renovated, then moved back in on the exact same day I moved in the first time!
• I finally caught up on Bojack Horseman and yes I cried. No shame!

Other than that, it's been nose to the grindstone as I work towards completing some big projects at work. I'll be really excited to get these secret things off the ground, corporate gods willing it will be done. 

I will try and be better updating and posting here more regularly and with my new hosting and set up, it should be much easier.

<3,

Steph